Field Trip - Host One

Author: Jim Burnham (with some Idea, Topic, & Lab help from AI)  - TopClown@STEAMClown.org. License: Distributed as Open Source. I'm a huge supporter of Open Source and Creative Commons resources.  This is another way of saying Free, Equitable and Accessible resources...  📽️ 🎧 📰 📖 📝🛠️ 🖼️ - Want to Support Me on this endeavor?

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Why You Should Host My Class for a Field Trip:

Quick Introduction To Me

Hey... You made it to my Mechatronics Engineering Field Trip  page... that means that you clicked on some other link to find out what this SVCTE Mechatronics Engineering class is all about...  And maybe you would like to host a Field Trip for my class...   At the bottom of this page, you will be able to get more information and access links about how to set up a Field Trip for my class. Great... Let's jump right in.

First, let me introduce myself. I'm teaching Mechatronics Engineering here at Silicon Valley Career Technical Education. (SVCTE).  I have always loved teaching, and teaching High School has always been noodling around in my head… So, in August of 2016, after spending 25+ years at Xilinx as a Digital Design Engineer and Technical Marketing Engineer, I made the jump.  The first year here I started and taught a Cybersecurity class, and then now I'm teaching a Mechatronics Engineering class... so, "Fire Breathing Robots"... It's super fun.

Silicon Valley CTE is a high school targeting sophomores, juniors and seniors from 6 local school districts, including 40+ High schools.  SVCTE offers state-of-the art programs which immerse students in rigorous, real-world academics and skills development designed to support their success through college and/or in their future careers.

My Ask

Host a 60–90 minute visit for a group of Mechatronics Engineering students. Show my students what you do, what you build, and help them get excited about a career in Engineering & Technology.  I'm hoping you can be a "spark", where your team can open a door for the next generation.

Flexible visit formats to fit your team's capacity:

Logistics We Handle

• Student supervision and transportation

• Group rotation logistics (we split students into your requested number of groups)

• Advance briefing to students on site-specific expectations (safety, professionalism, etc.)

• Any "relese from liability" forms or other site restrictions

One 60-120 min visit with both my AM/PM students:

If you are able to host up to 56 students, I would plan an "all day" field trip, where I visit your site and 1-2 other sites.  The logistics would be to host both my AM and PM class at the same time.  Typically up to 56 students.  I would arrange to visit multiple sites, so we could visit your site in the morning or afternoon.  then visit another site opposite your selected time slot. Typically we could arrive as early as 8:30am, with a hard stop around 2:50pm.  We would still only stay for a 60-120 min visit, based on your capacity and time restrictions. 

The visit could look like this: 

• 60-120 min visit that would be one of these time slots:

  •  Slot #1 - Start as early as 8:30am and end before 11:30am.

  • Lunch somewhere (possibly at your site in a common space.  SVCTE would plan on providing lunch) 

  • Slot #2 - Start around 12:30 and end by 2:50

  • Depending on logistics and how early we can start the Slot #1 visit, maybe squeeze a Slot #3 in for a Field trip with 3 site visits.

• Your site program plan: ~56 students, split into 2–3 smaller groups and include each group rotation through any or all of these options:

  • Tour of Labs / Manufacturing / Site. a walk through your facility/floor. (20-30 min) 

  • Product Demo/Workshop. Hands-on or observed demonstration of your equipment/process (20-30 min)

  • Round Table / Panel Discussion with 2-4 you your team. Brief history of their career path, and answer student questions (20-30 min)

Two 60-90 min visits on the same day / or split across 2 different days:

The other option that lets me do quick short visits, that just include my AM or PM class.  This is a little more flexible, where I don't have to have students plan an all day field trip, where the visit is "inside" their regular class time.  Sometimes I can get more participation, and you can host smaller groups. but this ask include me visiting your site 2 times.

If you are able, I like to make the field trips fit inside my AM or PM class time.  The "ask", would be to host my AM class and then, later, my PM class.  The logistics would be to host my AM class (typically 28 students) between the 7:30-10:30 start and end time.  Then host my PM class (also typcally 28 or less students) between the 12:45-3:45 time frame.  These visits could be on the same day, or different days.  

The AM visit could look like this: 

• 60-90 min visit that could start as early as 8:15 and end before 9:50. 

• Single-class visit: ~28 students, split into 2–3 small groups and include each group rotation through any or all of these options:

  • Tour of Labs / Manufacturing / Site. a walk through your facility/floor. (20-30 min) 

  • Product Demo/Workshop. Hands-on or observed demonstration of your equipment/process (20-30 min)

  • Round Table / Panel Discussion with 2-4 you your team. Brief history of their career path, and answer student questions (20-30 min)

The PM visit could look the same, but with an arrival time to your site at: 

• 60-90 min visit that could start as early as 1:15 and end before 2:50. 

• Single-class visit: ~28 students, split into 2–3 small groups and include each group rotation through any or all of these options:

  • Tour of Labs / Manufacturing / Site. a walk through your facility/floor. (20-30 min) 

  • Product Demo/Workshop. Hands-on or observed demonstration of your equipment/process (20-30 min)

  • Round Table / Panel Discussion with 2-4 you your team. Brief history of their career path, and answer student questions (20-30 min)

Why This Is a Good Investment of Your Team's Time

These aren't random students, they're your future pipeline, already trained:  My students come from a hands-on Electronics, Mechanical, Coding: Arduino/C++ and Python and a Robotics curriculum.  They will be building rovers, working with serial communication protocols, creating sensor integration, and using engineering documentation practices, modeled on real industry workflows. They walk in the door already speaking the language of embedded systems, mechatronics, and robotics. A visit to your site isn't explaining engineering from scratch, it's showing them what their training looks like at scale, in a real company.

Low lift, high visibility for your engineering team:  60–90 minutes, hosted once, with clear structure (tour / panel / demo) means your engineers can prepare a short talk and answer familiar questions without a huge time investment. This is a well-defined, bounded commitment.  I know your team's time is valuable, and I want to make it as easy.

Build your future talent pipeline before your competitors do:  Students remember the first company that took them seriously. A student who tours your facility may apply for an internship when they are our of high school or in college.   They may actively seek out your company after graduation, because you were the engineering employer who made mechatronics feel real and attainable. This is recruiting marketing that costs a fraction of a career fair booth.  It lets you start building your employer brand years before these students enter the job market.

Diversify your engineering workforce pipeline:  CTE programs like Mechatronics Engineering are one of the most effective, accessible on-ramps into engineering careers for students who might not otherwise see themselves in STEAM. Hosting these students is a visible, concrete way to support broader access to engineering careers.  It's not just a feel-good gesture, but a real investment in a more resilient, varied local talent pool.

It's genuinely good for your current engineers:  Engineers who volunteer for panels and demos consistently report it as one of the more energizing parts of their week.  Explaining your work to curious students sharpens communication skills, boosts morale, and is an easy, low-stress way to build public-speaking and mentorship experience for junior staff.

Community goodwill and local reputation:  Local companies that visibly invest in local CTE and STEAM education build goodwill with families, schools, and the broader community.  This is the kind of story that's easy to share on your company blog, LinkedIn, or newsletter.  We can partner with you to spread Social Media content about our visit.

It costs you almost nothing to try once:  No curriculum to build. No long-term commitment. No classroom takeover. Just open your doors for 60-120 minutes, let your engineers be themselves, and see the impact firsthand. If it's not a fit going forward, there's no obligation to repeat it.  Though, you will find it's one of the easiest "yes" decisions you make all year.

What Your Site Gets Out of It

• A structured, time-boxed visit that respects your team's schedule

• Direct exposure of your engineers, technology, and culture to students who are trained and ready to engage

• A pipeline-building opportunity years ahead of recruiting season

• A tangible community/SoMe story for internal and external communications

• The chance to shape how the next generation of engineers sees your industry and your company specifically

How To Get More Information On Hosting A Field Trip

Fill out this Field Trip Form

Send me an email here if you want to talk about hosting a field trip: jburnham@metroed.net or TopClown@STEAMClown.org 

Office:  408-723-6477    Cell:  408-603-0925

2026-2027 Field Trip Planning
I tend to be very flexible, and can probably accommodate any of your scheduling constraints.  As you plan, please let me know 2-3 weeks beforehand.  I'll need some "runway" to get the proper approval and parental permission forms signed. 

Days that would be great:

• 2026 

  • Sept 21, 22, 24, 25

  • Oct 5  -9

  • Oct 13 - 23

  • Oct 26, 27, 29, 30

  • Nov 2 - 6

  • Nov 9, 10, 12, 13

  • Nov 16, 17, 19, 20

  • Nov 30

  • Dec 1 - 4

  • Dec 7 - 11

  • Dec 14 - 16

• 2027

  • Jan 11 - 15

  • Jan 19 - 22

  • Jan 25, 26, 28 (not Friday 29)

  • Feb 1 - 5

  • Feb 8 - 12

  • Feb 22 - 25 (not Friday 26)

  • March 1 - 5

  • March 8 - 12

  • March 15 - 19

  • March 22 - 25 (not Friday 26)

  • March 30 - 31

  • April 1 - 2

  • April 12 - 16

  • April 19 - 23

  • April 26, 27, 29, 30

  • May 3 - 7

  • May 10, 11, 13, 14

  • May 17 - 21

  • May 24, 26 - 28

SVCTE Calendar - These Are Days to Avoid:

Aug 2026

• Aug 6 First day of School - SVCTE)

• Aug 26 - Modified Day - SVCTE No PM Session

Sept 2026

• Sept 7,  Labor Day / Legal Holiday - No Classes - SVCTE

• Sept 23,  Modified Day - SVCTE No AM Session

• Sept 28-30,  Fall Break - No Classes - SVCTE

Oct 2026

• Oct 1-2,  Fall Break - No Classes - SVCTE

• Oct 28,  Modified Day - SVCTE No PM Session

Nov 2026

• Nov 11,  Veteran's Day / Legal Holiday - No Classes - SVCTE

• Nov 18,   Modified Day - SVCTE No PM Session 

• Nov 23-27,  Thanksgiving / Legal Holiday - No Classes - SVCTE

Dec 2026

• Dec 17,  Fall Semester Ends - SVCTE 

• Dec 18,  In-service Day - SVCTE 

• Dec 21-31, Shutdown - No Classes - SVCTE

Jan 2027

• Jan 1-4, Shutdown - No Classes - SVCTE

• Jan 18 - MLK holiday / Legal Holiday - No Classes - SVCTE

• Jan 27 - Modified Day - SVCTE No AM Session

• Jan 29 - College & Career Fair (SVCTE On-Site Event)

Feb 2027

• Feb 15-19 - Winter break - Shutdown - No Classes - SVCTE

• Feb 26 - Wellness Fair @ SVCTE (SVCTE On-Site Event)

March 2027

• Mar 26 - Modified Day - SVCTE No PM Session (Friday)

• March 29 - Farm Workers Day - No Classes - SVCTE

April 2027

• April 5-9 - Spring break- Shutdown - No Classes - SVCTE

• April 22 - Meet Your Teacher Night 5:00-7:00 pm

• Apr 27 - Modified Day - SVCTE No AM Session (Tuesday)

May 2027

• May 12 - Modified Day - SVCTE No PM Session

• May 25 - SVCTE Awards Ceremony 

• May 31 - Memorial Day / Legal Holiday - No Classes - SVCTE

June 2027

• June 2 - Last day of Class - SVCTE